Improvement in carpet-bags



UNTED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

E. A. G. ROULSTONE, OF ROXBURRlWASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARPET-BAGS.

Specification forming part of Letters PatentvNo. 59,270, dated October 30, 1856.

To all 'whom it ma/ 2 1 concern:

Be it known that I, E. A. G. RoULsToNE, of Roxbury, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traveling- Bags, and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this speciiication, is adescription of my invention sufcient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

The invention relates principally to the details of construction of that class of traveling-bags in each of which two compartments or receptacles are mounted upon metal frames hinged together, and so as to open and shut in the well-known manner.

Each of these frames as usually constructed is made of two' plates riveted together, one at right angles to the other, the leather or material forming the bag being stitched to the innermost edge of the frame, and so that the two frames shutting together form a projection from the bag along the whole length of the frames.

One object of my invention is to bring the height and length which is imparted to the bag by these projections into the bag, and so as to form part ofthe available packing-room thereof, the construction by which I effect this materially cheapening the cost of manufacture. For this purpose I employ frames, each made by bending the plate, instead of riveting plates together, the leather or other material of which the flexible part of the bag is composed being fastened upon the outer surface of the frames by doubling or folding over the adjacent edges of the leather and frame a thin metal plate, and riveting frame, edge, plate, and leather together. This constitutes the primary feature of my invention.

The drawings represent a bag embodying my invention, Figure 1 vshowing a top View, Fig. 2 a bottom view, and Fig. 3 a cross-section, of the same. Fig. 4 is an inner view of one-halt' of the bag.

rIhe two frames upon which the bag is formed are seen at a and b, each being formed of a strip of plate metal bent at a right angle transversely along its whole length and bent longitudinally to the form that the bag is to have in longitudinal section. An ear, c, i; fixed upon each end of one of the frames, a wire, d, extending from one ear to the other, the ears and wire forming the hinge upon which the frames and opposite sides of the bag turn.

In the common construction these ears extend beyond the frame, and the rod or wire passes under the bag, forming a projection from the bottom surface thereof, and having to be covered with leather, each half of the bag being made separately and stitched thereto.

In my construction I carry the ears down iush with the frames, and run the wire through a pocket in the bag abovethe bottom leather, c, thus permitting the employment of a single piece to form the bottom, and leaving a ush surface, as shown in Fig. 3. The inner edge of the leather covering or material forming each of the two parts g and h of 'the bag is laid over its respective frame a or b, (as seen in section in Fig. 3,) and a strip or band of thin metal, z', is doubled over the two adjacent edges along` their whole length, and rivets are inserted through so as to fasten together both edges of the band and inclose between them the edges of the frame and covering, one frame and band being made smaller and so as to close within the other, as seen in Fig. 3.

It will be seen by inspection of this view that the angle in the flange in the frames is carried into the bag, thus answering the purpose of stiffening the frames withoutprojecting out from the covering of the bag.

The bottom of the bag, on one or both sides, is protected by a band, k, of metal bent around the edges of the bag and riveted to the bottom surface, the band having a lip turned up from it, as seen in Fig. 3, and having corner-pieces f, projecting up therefrom, as shown at B.

The flap or fall m, which serves to keep in place the articles packed in one-half of the bag, has sliding bolts u, which project into mortises or recesses cut into the frame, as seen in Fig. 4. Instead of arranging the lock to project beyond the frame, or in the angle of the frame, I fasten the lock o on the inner surface of one of the frames, and so as to project directly into 'the packing-space, as seen in Fig. 2, this arrangement being more convenient and imparting greater strength to the connection between the parts, as the strain of the bolt projecting from the opposite frame into thelock draws the lock toward or against the frame, and not away therefrom.

There the frames project from the back the handles are fastened directly to the outer surface thereof; but in my construction l carry the ends of each handle through the leather7 and fasten them to the inner surface of the frame.

All of these details of construction not only improve the appearance of the bag and enhance its holding capacity, but the cost of manufacture is much reduced, as will be readily understood.

I claim- Y 1. The method of connecting the open part of each halt' of the baglleather to its frame7 by fastening the edge to the outer surface of the frame, said frame projecting into instead of from the bag, substantially as set forth. i

2. The band i, doubled over the edge of each frame, and embracing between its edges 

